The Boy and the Samurai

by Erik Christian Haugaard

Book Overview

On his own in the teeming city, orphaned Saru learns to survive. He begs, steals, and fights for what he needs. He finds danger in bandits and street gangs, charity in tentative friendships with a priest and a cook's young daughter, and comfort from his little cat, Neko. But Saru trusts no one, until he meets a samurai and agrees to help in the rescue of his wife, held hostage in the castle. How can a street urchin and a lone warrior prevail

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0618615113
• ISBN13: 9780618615117
• Release Date: September 2005
• Publisher: Clarion Books
• Length: 240 Pages
• Weight: 0.57 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 5.1" x 7.6"
• Age Range: 10 to 12 years
• Grade Range: Grades 5 to 7

Customer Reviews

Amazing!

Hi, This book is about a boy named Saru who is orphaned at a young age. He learns to survive with a priest. He deals with robber gangs and powerful samurais. One day he meets a samurai who wants to rescue his wife from another powerful samurai. So they two men journey off together to find the wife. But their future...they do not know. I think this book was really good. Very detailed and exciting events. A definite 5 star!

The Boy And The Samurai

In the book, The Boy And The Samurai, there are 6 surprising events. One of them is that almost instantly; he becomes an orphan twice when both his real parents and foster parents died. Another is when he survives one of the harshest winters with barely any warmth or food while raising a cat. He also stops a gang of children from robbing an inn. These are some reasons why the events in The Boy And The Samurai is interesting and surprising.

The Boy and the Samurai

Immerse yourself in this thrilling and thought provoking tale by Erik Christian Haugaard, the Boy and the Samurai. Erik Christian Haugaard is a renowned author that grew up in Denmark but later moved to other countries like the United States, Italy, Spain, and Japan - the reasons for his unique style of writing and interesting ideas. This colorful background has made him the sensational author he is.Saru, which means monkey, is a smart young boy. He is agile, able to think on his feet, and comprehensive, three traits that aren't seen often enough. Saru is placed in the care of a wet nurse after his mother dies. His father dies later in the troubling times of 16th century Japan in a great battle. A great fire comes destroying the village, leaving Saru completely alone. He lives as a beggar in a little shrine on whatever scraps he can find. His cleverness also helps him know the ways of the world and the people around him. His many adventures lead him up to the greatest one where he helps a desperate samurai save his wife from the crazy emperor.This book has filled me with much thoughts and interest about the Japanese culture and has prompted me to read more historical books such as this. I think that anyone who enjoys the book, The Phantom Tollbooth will enjoy this book as well.

loved it!

i got this book from my school library, because i'm interested in Japanese culture. it's about an orphaned boy named Saru, which is Japanese for monkey, and how he lives under a shrine with a cat named Neko, meeting thieves and samurai along the way. he then goes to live with a priest and grows up, then meets a dishonored samurai trying to free his wife from their lord's castle. Saru finds this samurai to be a friend, and so he tries to help. it's a good book, so i recommend it.

Allow's you to truelly appreciate Japeneace culture...

I read the book because I had to for school. I wasn't expecting much from it; I had yet to be impressed with their "core literature" selection which included books like "Shadow Spinner," "The Golden Goblet," and "Catherine Called Birdy." This book is better of any of the preceding. It follows an orphaned boy, "Saru," through the times of the warring states in Japan, from the 15 humdreds to 16 hundreds. Durring that time warlords had divided the states in civil war, so we find charactor's avoiding and entering battle. The first section of the book describes Japan, a place with winter's as cold as the hearts of the Samerai, and summer's as warm as the hearts of the priests.As the book moves onward we meet a disgraced Samerai who wishes to free his wife. The book describes most of the Samerai as col blooded murderers, so it is very interesting to see how Saru slowly begins to trust the other man.Despite its predictable outcome and rushed ending I give the book four stars for some very creative writing by Haugaard.